June 25, 2001 – It was a rousing reggae night at the Winston Wells Ball Field on Sunday, but previously unannounced acts that went too long prohibited the headliners, Tortola's Quito Rhymer and The Edge, from playing their scheduled set.
The St. John Festival Reggae Show began shortly after the scheduled 8 p.m. starting time and ran for five hours before Rhymer and his band took to the stage at 1:05 a.m. Looking exuberant despite the hour, Rhymer told the crowd he was happy to be back on St. John. But in the middle of his third song, the ball field lights went on and Quito announced to the crowd, "I just got word. We gotta go."
Some in the audience who had come to the show specifically to see Rhymer perform were flabbergasted. "I waited five hours for 15 minutes of Quito!" one disappointed fan exclaimed.
Rhymer appeared incredulous, himself, but quickly recovered and sensed his need to appease the audience. "Let's do one more," he said, launching into an upbeat tune, "Everything is Irie," with the ball field lights still on.
"I love you. Hope to see you again in better circumstances," he told everyone before he left the stage at 1:30 a.m.
Leona Smith, chair of the St. John Festival Committee, said on Monday it was unfortunate, but the captain of the ferry to St. Thomas, which was scheduled to leave a half hour after the reggae night ended, wanted to get home.
Throughout the evening, Reggae Night organizer "Grasshopper" Pickering had repeatedly told the crowd, "Don't worry about getting back to St. Thomas. A special ferry will leave a half hour after the show is over."
Smith said the St. John Festival Committee did not control the logistics of the event and was responsible only for the show's concession. Pickering could not be reached for comment Monday morning.
